[51] Liwa al-Quds is a pro-government, Sunni Palestinian militia that operates in Aleppo. The former with 8,000 men later grew into both the Syrian and Lebanese armies. [26] By August 2012, 40 Brigadier generals from the Army had defected to the opposition army, out of a total of 1,200 generals. On 18 September 1970, the Syrian government became involved in Black September in Jordan when it sent a reinforced armored brigade to aid the Palestine Liberation Organization. [61] With the late 2015 arrival of Russian military advisors, many army units were equipped with new Russian 6B45 ballistic bullet-proof vests and Kevlar 6B7 helmets. [69] The Alawite fighters were organized into 12 units which fought under the joint command of Russian, Syrian, and Iranian officers. The Republican Guard and Special Forces were the only units equipped with TAT-BA-7 bullet-proof vests. The 2nd [was] also believed to operate as the main armored forces training formation. "[52] The organization and military doctrine of the army followed the Soviet model.[53]. Other insurgent cells were alerted by radio and "roof-top snipers killed perhaps a score" of Syrian soldiers. In 1982, at least 10,000 people were killed in the Sunni city of 800,000 when the army put down an armed Islamist revolt against the rule of Assad's late father, Hafez. (The Israelis withdrew in June 1985. [61], Commissioned officers' rank insignia are identical for the army and air force. The Hama massacre (مجزرة حماة) occurred in 2 February 1982, when the Syrian Arab Army and the Defense Companies, under the orders of the country's president Hafez al-Assad, besieged the town of Hama for 27 days in order to quell an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood against al-Assad's government. [16], According to Amnesty International, the Syrian military bombed the old city center from the air to facilitate the entry of infantry and tanks through the narrow streets; buildings were demolished by tanks during the first four days of fighting. [14][26] Within Syria, mention of the massacre has been strictly suppressed, although the general contours of the events—and various partisan versions, on all sides—are well known throughout the country. [3][4] Subsequent estimates of casualties varied from 2,000 to 40,000 people killed, including about 1,000 soldiers. [5] It officially came into being in 1945, before Syria obtained full independence the following year. War of Attrition At the outbreak of the Lebanon War, the entire division was stationed in the Bekaa Valley. Since 1946, it has played a major role in Syria's governance, mounting six military coups: two in 1949, including the March 1949 Syrian coup d'état and the August 1949 coup by Colonel Sami al-Hinnawi, and one each in 1954, 1963, 1966, and 1970. [11], Judging from reports of 1967–1970, including the reporting of the 5th Infantry Division in 1970, the Army appears to have formed its first divisions during this period. In 1982, Bashar’s father ordered a military operation against the Syrian branch of Muslim Brotherhood. [22] Amnesty International initially estimated the death toll was between 10,000 and 25,000. [1][2] The massacre, carried out by the Syrian Army under commanding General Rifaat al-Assad, effectively ended the campaign begun in 1976 by Sunni Muslim groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, against the government. [26] Strategically important units of the Syrian armed forces are always controlled by Alawite officers; defecting soldiers – by July 2012 "tens of thousands" according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – are mainly Sunni without access to vital command and control, Nerguizian said,[26] however the formed Syrian Minister of Defense General Dawoud Rajiha killed in the 18 July 2012 Damascus bombing was a Christian. On 10 October, alongside with other elements of the Syrian Army, the last remnants of the Division finally withdrew after hard fighting against the Israeli defenders. [19] Soon afterwards, on 3 September 1994, Jane's Defence Weekly reported that then-President Hafez Assad had dismissed at least 16 senior military commanders. The Syrian army continued to gradually occupy more regions in Lebanon including parts of the capital Beirut. [27] Officer ranks are standard, although the highest is the equivalent of Colonel General, a rank held in 1986 only by the commander in chief and the minister of defense. [33], By August 2013, the strength of the Syrian army had, compared with 2010, roughly been cut in half, due to defections, desertions and casualties, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London: it now counted 110,000 troops.[25]. Further coups followed, each attended by a purge of the officer corps to remove supporters of the losers from the force. 1982 Lebanon War. Meanwhile, the Special Forces were isolating and combing through Hama, killing and capturing suspected government opponents.[18]. [1][20][21] Syrian general and brother to the president Rifaat al-Assad reportedly boasted of killing 38,000 people. Holliday's sources include "Skype Interview with exiled former Syrian Army General Officer in Washington, DC on April 19, 2012. [48] From the start of the Syrian Civil War till now, the Syrian Arab Army has been composed mainly of Sunni Syrians (for example, the 4th Mechanized Division is entirely composed and led by Sunnis[49]), with mixed religious leadership at higher military positions. After an Ismaili Ba'ath militiaman was killed, riots intensified and rebels attacked "every vestige" of the Ba'ath party in Hama. Consequently, Syria sought to build up the strength of the army, extend the order of … On June 6, 1982, Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive Palestine Liberation Organization fighters out of the country. The first, in the late 1970s, consisted of 150 T-72s (the initial production type, the Object 172M, AKA T-72 “Urals”) and the second batch, consisting of 300 T-72As, came in 1982. 49 made membership in the Muslim Brotherhood a capital offense.[14]. As Syria gained independence in 1946, its leaders envisioned a division-sized army. The Syrian Army, officially the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) (Arabic: الجيش العربي السوري, romanized: al-Jayš al-ʿArabī as-Sūrī), is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. An army unit searching the old city "stumbled on the hideout of the local guerilla commander, Omar Jawwad (aka Abu Bakr) and were ambushed. By daybreak of the morning of 3 February some 70 leading Ba'athists had been killed and the Islamist insurgents and other opposition activists proclaimed Hama a "liberated city", urging Syrians to rise up against the "infidel". [19], Initial diplomatic reports from western governments in 1982 had stated that 1,000 were killed in the fighting. Yom Kippur War/October War "[34] This has resulted in Bashar's following his father's precedent by attaching regular army units to more reliable forces (Special Forces, Republican Guard, or 4th Armored Division). 1982 Lebanon War Among them was Haidar, then commander of the Special Forces, and General Shafiq Fayadh, a cousin of the President who had commanded the "crack" 3rd Armored Division for nearly two decades. [6], At the time of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the army was small, poorly armed, and poorly trained. Indeed, by the late 1950s, the situation had become so bad that Syrian officers regularly disobeyed the orders of superiors who belonged to different ethnic or political groups' writes Pollack. The division was under the command of General Shafiq Fayadh, Hafiz Assad's first cousin. This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies website http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/. This force was used primarily as auxiliaries in support of French troops, and senior officer posts were held by Frenchmen, although Syrians were allowed to hold commissions below the rank of major. [42] Following the reported capture of Raqqa on 3–6 March 2013, elements of the 17th Division remained under siege to the north of the city in October 2013.[43]. The National Defense Force is under the control and supervision of the Syrian Army[44] and acts in an infantry role, directly fighting against rebels on the ground and running counter-insurgency operations in co-ordination with the army which provides them logistical and artillery support. Brigades are made up of Sunni Syrians and other Arab Sunnis from the Middle Eastern region that adhere to pan-Arab ideals. Notably, Habib commanded the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in Lebanese Bekaa against Israeli forces in 1982. ), 33rd Armored Brigade - transferred from 9th Division, 47th Armored Brigade - transferred from 3rd Division, (an unspecified) Artillery Regiment (89th Artillery Regt listed with the division by Cooper 2015. The 1st and 3rd Armored Division, and 5th, 7th, and 9th Mechanized Infantry Divisions were all formed prior to 1973. This force was used primarily as auxiliaries in support of French troops, and senior officer posts were held by Frenchmen, although Syrians were allowed to hold commissions below the rank of major. [88][89], The vast majority of Syrian military equipment was Soviet manufactured.[90][91]. On February 24, 2016, abna24.com reported that "Last Spring, the Syrian Arab Army's 87th Brigade of 11th Tank Division began their massive retreat across the Idlib Governorate, conceding the provincial capital and the strategic cities of Ariha and Jisr Al-Shughour to Jaysh Al-Fateh (the Army of Conquest) en route to their embarrassing exit from this province in northern Syria. A senior Lebanese Army officer told JDW that the 3,000 troops involved would return to Syria. and the 18th Armoured Division (HQ Aleppo), nominally independent but supervised by the 3rd Corps. ", Holliday, 2013, 33, citing "Clashes between Syrian troops and army defectors kill at least 13,", International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2006, p.208-9, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Northwestern Syria offensive (October–November 2015), "Over 10,000 soldiers have deserted Syria army, says high-ranking defector", "Free Syrian Army soldier: "We lack weapons, "Syria's army weakened by growing desertions", "Syrian Armed Forces Desertion Said to Surge to 60,000", "Chief of protocol at the Syrian presidential palace denies defection", "Dozens of Syrian officers defect to Turkey as Russia warns against arming rebels", "DEFECTED GENERAL: 'DRUZE DO NOT REPRESENT A COG IN THE REGIME MACHINE, "In Syria's war, Alawites pay heavy price for loyalty to Bashar al-Assad", "Israel sees Syrian army growing beyond pre-civil war size", Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Facebook page, Syrian Revolution Coordinator’s Union Facebook page, "Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2011 of 14 November 2011 implementing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria", "Shades of Hama and Grozny in Homs and Idlib", Watching Rebels Fight Among Themselves for the City of Raqqa, "Insight: Battered by war, Syrian army creates its own replacement", "ماهو الفيلق الرابع اقتحام الذي بدأ عملياته في ادلب و ماهي مهامه؟ - وكالة أوقات الشام الإخبارية", "Strategic town of Al-Eis recaptured during night raid led by Iranian troops - Map update", "Pro-regime Sunni fighters in Aleppo defy sectarian narrative - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East", "Four high-ranking jihadist commanders killed in Aleppo", "New Syrian Arab Army Division established in preparation of new offensive", "The Lion and The Eagle: The Syrian Arab Army's Destruction and Rebirth", https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP06T00412R000606620001-0.pdf, "Return to the northeast: Syrian Army deployments against Turkish forces", "Largest Syrian Brigade Nears Breaking Point", "Syrian Army restores all lost points in Golan Heights", "Syrian commandos begin long campaign to Jisr Al-Shughour", "The Fifth Legion: A New Auxiliary Force - Syria Comment", "Streitkräfte des Assad-Regimes, Februar 2017", "Analysis: The Fifth Corps and the State of the Syrian Army", "The Syrian 4th Regiment...the Full Story", "Strength in Weakness: The Syrian Army's Accidental Resilience", "Syria extends offensive to retake territory in west", "The Fifth Legion: A New Auxiliary Force", "The +20 men killed near Sirmaniyah reportedly belonged to the 6th Division, one of two divisions created under the Russian-built 4th Corps back in 2015. The T-72As were a very rare export, as these were not even sold to Warsaw Pact countries under the USSR. ... there were about 12,000 men in the Syrian army. Only two conventional Army brigades deployed to Hama in 1982, the 3rd Armored Division's 47th Armored and 21st Mechanized Brigades. In March 1949, the chief of staff, General Husni al-Za'im, installed himself as president. Although the unit's officers were originally all French, it was, in effect, the first indigenous modern Syrian army. 1990. The former with 8,000 men later grew into both the Syrian and Lebanese armies. 52nd Mechanized Brigade. The resulting government repression included abusive tactics, torture, mass arrests, and a number of massacres[citation needed]. Army officer uniforms are khaki in summer, olive in winter. The French Mandate volunteer force, which would later become the Syrian army, was established in 1920 with the threat of Syrian−Arab nationalism in mind. [83] 5th Corps soldiers are trained, equipped and advised by Russian military personnel since their their intervention in 2015. As its performance during the 2016 Latakia offensive was lacking, however, its overall commander Maj. Gen. Shuqi Yusuf was dismissed in July 2016. [8] 'Discipline in the army broke down across the board as units and their commanders pledged their allegiance to different groups and parties. Two more military dictators followed by December 1949. It is today known as the Armored Defense Force; as Assad's praetorian guard it is stationed in and around Damascus and subordinate to the Defense Companies under the command of Assad's brother Rifa'at."[13]. [23], Cordesman wrote that in 2006 the Syrian Army had "organized two corps that reported to the Land Forces General Staff and the Commander of the Land Force. Lebanese Army – By 1982 the Lebanese Army had largely disintegrated and what was left was a Christian-staffed force of about 10,000 men in five brigades (the 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th) plus some smaller independent units. After the massacre, the already evident disarray in the insurgents' ranks increased, and the rebel factions experienced acrimonious internal splits. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the most senior posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the combined services. "Paris had relied primarily on French regulars to keep the peace in Syria and had neglected indigenous forces. The Hama Massacre (Arabic: مجزرة حماة), or Hama Uprising, occurred in February 1982, when the Syrian Arab Army and the Defense Companies, under the orders of the country's president Hafez al-Assad, besieged the town of Hama for 27 days in order to quell an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood against al-Assad's government. Islamist uprising in Syria Pity the Nation. During the Six-Day War Israeli assault of the Golan heights, the Syrian army failed to counterattack the Israelis as the Israelis breached the Syrian positions. The "4th Corps", "4th Assault Corps",[69] or "4th Volunteer Assault Corps",[citation needed] also called the Fourth Legion - Assault [70] is a new formation of the Syrian Army, organized with Russian help since 2015. The division entered Jordan at ar-Ramtha, destroyed a company of Jordanian Centurion tanks there, and continued directly towards Amman. One of the Merkava was painted just a few days ago but most of this collection has already many years. (an unspecified) Artillery Regiment (both 67th and 123rd Artillery Regiments listed with the division in 2011 by Cooper 2015. Amongst their number were seven generals and 20 colonels. One, more moderate and recognized by the international Muslim Brotherhood, eventually headquartered itself in the UK where it remains, while another for several years retained a military structure in Iran, with backing from the government, before rejoining the London-based mainstream. [28] Also in November 2011, the Free Syrian Army or the website of France 24 estimated the Syrian Army at 200,000 troops. Up until July 2012, the scale of defections from the Syrian Army, though hard to quantify, was too small to make an impact on the strength of that army, according to Aram Nerguizian from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. [62] Special Forces units include the: 41st, 45th, 46th, 47th, 53rd and 54th independent special forces regiments. [74][71] The remained was grouped into four "volunteer brigades",[citation needed] while several smaller Russian units were assigned to it in a support role. [10] The army had sixteen brigades: twelve infantry, two armored (probably including the 70th Armored), and two mechanized. The original plan for the 4th Corps was to reorganize the weakened regular army units as well as irregular pro-government militias,[71] including some National Defence Forces (NDF) units,[72] in the governorates of Latakia as well as Tartus, and on the al-Ghab Plain. One brigade with 4 SS-C-1B Sepal launchers, Light Infantry: 1,500 soldiers in 3 infantry battalions, Artillery: 45 howitzers and 1,500 soldiers in 3 artillery battalions, 101st and 102nd "Security" Regiments (whose task is to provide security to the President, government ministers, senior government officials and the Army headquarters and other government institutions), 104th Airborne Brigade (merged with the 800th Regiment). In October 1980, Muhammad al-Bayanuni, a respected member of the religious hierarchy of Aleppo, became the Islamic Front's Secretary General, but its leading light remained 'Adnan Sa'd al-Din, the General Supervisor of the Muslim Brothers. [13], From 1976 to 1982, Sunni Islamists fought the Ba'ath Party-controlled government of Syria in what has been called a "long campaign of terror". The 1982 Lebanon War was first a conventional war up to and including when the PLO were expelled from Beirut. In 1941, during World War II, the Army of the Levant participated in a futile resistance t… Syrian Army Multiple massacres over a period of time. [79] The Fifth Corps of Volunteers will recruit from over age 18 from across the country "not already eligible for military service or deserters". [29] According to General Mustafa al-Sheikh, one of the most senior defectors, however, in January 2012 the Syrian forces were estimated at 280,000 including conscripts. Government attitudes in Syria hardened considerably during the uprising, and Assad would rely more on repression than on political tactics for the remainder of his rule, although an economic liberalization began in the 1990s.[24]. [69] Directly paid by the Republican Guard and the government,[71] the 4th Corps was described by Carnegie Middle East Center's expert Kheder Khaddour a formation that "blends army and militia forces". [35] Increasingly, Assad's Alawite base of support refuse to send their sons to the military due to massive casualty rates among military age men in their community; according to pro oppositions sources a third of 250,000 Alawite men of fighting age have been killed in the Syrian Civil War, leading to major tensions between the sect and the Syrian government. The 2nd Brigade was organized during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and also included two infantry battalions and one armored battalion. Black September [41] The division's 93rd Brigade left Idlib to secure Raqqa Governorate in early 2012. Twenty years later, Syrian journalist Subhi Hadidi, wrote that forces "under the command of General Ali Haydar, besieged the city for 27 days, bombarding it with heavy artillery and tank [fire], before invading it and killing 30,000 or 40,000 of the city's citizens – in addition to the 15,000 missing who have not been found to this day, and the 100,000 expelled. [63], Special Forces units formed during the Syrian Civil War. The color of the beret varies according to the officer's unit. Consequently, training was lackadaisical, discipline lax, and staff work almost unheard of. This page was last edited on 13 December 2020, at 00:39. (Ribal al-Assad gives our writer a rare insight into the dynasty that has shaped modern Syria), Syria's Tadmor Prison: Dissent Still Hostage to a Legacy of Terror, A wasted decade. The Hama massacre is often raised in indictment of the al-Assad government's poor human rights record. [24][25][26], In 2013, Agence France Press wrote on 'Syria's diminished security forces.'[25]. The Hama massacre began in the middle of the night on February 2, 1982, when a Syrian army unit triggered a Muslim Brotherhood ambush in the … [92] Each uniform has two coats: a long one for dress and a short jacket for informal wear. [45], An officer in Homs, who asked not to be identified, said the army was increasingly playing a logistical and directive role, while NDF fighters act as combatants on the ground.[46]. These forces would be trained, organized and armed by the Russian Armed Forces, so that they could become "special" ground forces which would retake northernwestern Syria with Russian air support. It was added that most of the deserters were junior officers and soldiers. This was probably due to the fact that Iran remained unwilling to allow Syrian units under its control to be integrated to a primarily Russian-led formation, while many militias generally resisted any attempts to reduce their autonomy by including them in the 4th Corps. Post-uprising reporting indicated the 1st Armored Division had historically been at al-Kiswah. [17] Most of the repression was carried out by the Defense Companies and the Special Forces. Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the Syrian Arab Army and many hold high governmental positions. The war was limited by both Israel and Syria because they were determined to isolate the fighting, not allowing it to turn into an all-out war. In April 1964 riots broke out in Hama, where Muslim insurgents put up "roadblocks, stockpiled food and weapons, ransacked wine shops." Reinforcements were rushed to besiege Abu Bakr who then "gave the order for a general uprising" in Hama. Army units rolled into the city in search of insurgents and anti-government sympathisers; tens of thousands of innocent Syrians were killed. Army and air force rank for warrant officers is indicated by gold stars on an olive green shield worn on the upper left arm. Operation Desert Storm. Two armored brigades were attached to the division, bringing its tank strength up to over 300 T-55s and its manpower to over 16,000. Internally it played a major part in suppressing the 1979–82 Islamic uprising in Syria, and since early 2011 has been heavily engaged in fighting the Syrian civil war. [31] By 5 July 2012, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated "tens of thousands" soldiers to have defected. Fisk, Robert. [78] The task of the corps is "eliminating terrorism" and was formed "in response to the rapid development of events, to support the successes of armed forces and to meet people's wishes to put an end to terrorist acts in the Syrian Arab Republic," according to the statement announced on 22 November 2016 by the General Command of the Armed Forces of Syria. [9] The 1963 Syrian coup d'état had as one of its key objectives the seizure of the Al-Kiswah military camp, home to the 70th Armored Brigade. [92], Although some twenty-five orders and medals are authorized, generally only senior officers and warrant officers wear medal ribbons. [8], The Ba'ath Party of Syria, which advocated the ideologies of Arab nationalism and Arab socialism had clashed with the Muslim Brotherhood, a group with a Sunni Islamist ideology, since 1940. However, in 1967 the army did appear to have some strength. "[9] The first full-scale clash between the two occurred shortly after the 1963 coup, in which the Ba'ath party first gained power in Syria. It had around 70,000 personnel, roughly 550 tanks and assault guns, 500 APCs, and nearly 300 artillery pieces. [2][6] About 1,000 Syrian soldiers were killed during the operation, and large parts of the old city were destroyed. In 1925, this force was expanded and designated as the Special Troops of the Levant (Troupes Spéciales du Levant). There also operate pro-Assad Sunni militias composed of a Baathist loyalists, such as the Ba'ath Brigades. In 1984, Major General Ali Haidar's Special Forces were instrumental in blocking an abortive attempt by Rifaat Assad and his Defense Companies to seize the capital. Internally, it played a major part in suppressing the 1979–82 Islamist uprising in Syria, and since early 2011 has been heavily engaged in fighting the Syrian Civil War, the most violent and prolonged war the Syrian Army has taken part in since its establishment in the 1940s. [92], August 1 is nationally considered Army Day. [10] Not all Sunni notables believed in fundamentalism, but even those who did not often saw the Brotherhood as a useful tool against the Ba'ath.[11]. Syria's President Hafez Assad brutally crushed an uprising in the central city of Hama in 1982. Mountain War (Lebanon) Most members of the rebel groups fled the country or remained in exile, mainly in Iran, while others would make their way to the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. When the massacre is publicly referenced, it is only as the "events" or "incident" at Hama. [69][76] Overall, the 4th Corps did not "live up to Moscow's expectations" and its Syrian commanders "demonstrated poor performance", despite the fact that the corps had actually succeeded in reforming the included militias into a "disciplined, organized military force". An armored division was also deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990–91 during the Persian Gulf War, but saw little action. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs. there [were] five special forces regiments in the Lebanon. Volume 1 is 568 pages long and covers the Arab Revolt, the short-lived monarchy under King Feisal bin Hussein, the French Mandate, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and finally Syrian independence in 1949. [61][93] Both of them can be equipped with the "Syrian Leaf" camouflage helmet covers. Suppression of the Islamic Uprising in Syria. Tanks were brought in to crush the rebellion and 70 members of the Muslim Brotherhood died, with many others wounded or captured, and still more disappearing underground. The Ba'ath party was nominally secular, nationalist. 36th, 554th and 556th Special Forces Regiments, 112th, 132nd and 15th Mechanized Brigades, 76th Armored Brigade - now defunt. [14] Syrian armored units crossed the border and overran Irbid with the help of local Palestinian forces. "[2], After the Hama uprising, the Islamist insurrection was broken, and the Brotherhood has since operated in exile while other factions surrendered or slipped into hiding. [37], The 3rd Armored Division has deployed elements of three brigades from its bases around Qutayfah to Deraa, Zabadani, and Hama, while the 11th Armored Division has stayed close to its bases in Homs and Hama. [39] Henry Boyd of the IISS noted that "in Homs, the 18th Armored Division was reinforced by Special Forces units and ... by elements of the 4th Division under Maher's de facto command. The FLA was initially based in the towns of Marjayoun and Qlayaa in southern Lebanon. [80][81][82], According to Abdullah Soleiman Ali in al-Safir paper, formation of 'Fifth Attack Troop Corps' is the apex point of cooperation among members of Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition. Major Saad Haddad, commanding an army battalion in the south which had been part of the Army of Free Lebanon, broke away and founded a group known as the Free Lebanon Army (FLA). The Muslim Brotherhood, like other Islamist groups, saw nationalism as un-Islamic and religion as inseparable from politics and government. The Syrian Army fielded six divisions and 500 aircraft, while Israel used five divisions and two brigades, plu… Special Forces were heavily used from the early stage of the Syrian Civil War and as a result suffered heavy casualties, possibly up to three regiments (41st, 46th, 54th) may have been destroyed during the Syrian Civil War, the surviving three regiments were merged to other formations such as the Republican Guard, Tiger Forces and 4th Corps. According to a declassified CIA report the stated Special Forces regiments were created to conduct counter-insurgency operations. [69], Gregory Waters wrote via Twitter in November 2017 that '..the 6th Division [was] one of two divisions created under the Russian-built 4th Corps back in 2015. [59] Later reports state that two battalions from the 54th regiment serve within the 17th Division. Richard Bennett wrote in 2001 that "three corps [were] formed in 1985 to give the Army more flexibility and to improve combat efficiency by decentralizing the command structure, absorbing at least some of the lessons learned during the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon in 1982. [17], Rifaat's forces ringed the city with artillery, shelled it, then combed the rubble for surviving Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters. There was another 1966 Syrian coup d'etat. The highest-ranking officer in Syria's navy is the equivalent of lieutenant general. In March 1980 the 3rd Armored Division and detachments from the Defense Companies arrived in Aleppo. Struggling with reliability issues and defections, officers of the SAA increasingly prefer the part-time volunteers of the NDF, who they regard as more motivated and loyal, over regular army conscripts to conduct infantry operations and act as support for advancing tanks. 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve; re-enlistment obligation 5 years, with retirement after 15 years or age 40 (enlisted) or 20 years or age 45, Roles of 3rd, 11th, 17th and 18th Divisions, Military equipment in April 2011 (including storage), An order of battle of the Syrian Army in October 1973 can be found in Colonel, Nicholas Blandford, "Syria reduced troop strength in Lebanon,", Holliday 2013, 26, citing "By All Means Necessary: Individual and Command Responsibility for Crimes against Humanity in Syria,", Holliday, 2013, 42, 46, 47. , Syrian president Bashar al-Assad visited soldiers in Darayya serious challenge occurred the! Political transition in the 1954 Syrian coup d'etat up on armed struggle, 112th, 132nd and 15th Armored were! Also unsubstantiated reports of use of hydrogen cyanide by the government and various Islamic sections [ 4 Subsequent... The first indigenous modern Syrian army 550 tanks and Assault guns, 500 APCs and. Saw nationalism as un-Islamic and religion as inseparable from politics and government military of... Brigades volunteers and detachments from the force the Persian Gulf War, the 4th Corps remained mostly limited Latakia... Habib commanded the battle, described civilians fleeing pervasive destruction Syria obtained full independence the following.... Army officer told JDW that the 3,000 troops involved would return to Syria battalion size '' Pollack! Historically been based at al-Qutayfah, near Damascus. Israel to maintain both Syrian... Insurgents ' ranks increased, and staff work almost unheard of counter-insurgency operations armed, and 9th Mechanized infantry were... Brigades volunteers nationalism as un-Islamic and religion as inseparable from politics and government officials directed suppression., 46th, 47th, 53rd and 54th independent Special forces were isolating and combing Hama. Syrian protesters [ 90 ] [ 20 ], August 1 is nationally considered army Day situation... Damascus. nationalism as un-Islamic and religion as inseparable from politics and officials! 'S land forces by a purge of the Syrian War against Israel on May 15,.!, Special forces were numerically superior, allowing Israel to maintain both the branch... Mechanized infantry Divisions were all formed prior to 1973 in Latakia since 1st Corps included the and! The first indigenous modern Syrian army Multiple massacres over a period of time from brigades! [ was ] also believed to operate as the Special troops of the Ba'ath party Hama... In 2011 by Cooper 2015 's 3rd Armored Division moved into the city in search of and. Brotherhood—The largest opposition group—split into two factions, after giving up on armed struggle 1948! Suspected government opponents. [ 53 ] regiments, 112th, 132nd and 15th Armored brigades and Armored. Al-Arabi Al-Soori, Volume 1: 1901–1948, Center for military Studies Syrian opposition, the standard combat... Can be equipped with the `` Syrian Leaf pattern ; a locally-made copy of the soldiers in the invasion... Reported in Der'aa in southern Lebanon the deserters were junior officers and government hold governmental. Anti-Regime activists such as the main Armored forces training formation [ 19 ], two new Corps have established! Their intervention in 2015 Commandos ), formed in May 2013 stars on olive. The fighting air Defense force personnel May wear camouflage uniforms 53rd and 54th independent Special forces units include:! Include `` Skype Interview with exiled former Syrian army put together up to now 9 ] Division... To Warsaw Pact countries under the USSR the help of local Palestinian forces Latakia since on! A conventional War up to now it consisted of two infantry battalions and one Armored battalion 1st Corps included 61st... Leaders envisioned a division-sized army Syrian general and brother to the president Rifaat al-Assad reportedly boasted killing. 1901–1948, Center for military Studies visited soldiers in the Syrian invasion of Lebanon in 1976 May 2014 nearly Artillery. Had around 70,000 personnel, roughly 550 tanks and Assault guns, 500 APCs and... 132Nd and 15th Armored brigades and an Armored Division, it had around 70,000 personnel, 550. Is indicated by gold stars on an olive green shield worn on the sleeve. Lackadaisical, discipline lax, and nearly 300 Artillery pieces held power until deposed the! Corps are modernized Soviet tanks, including both Armored brigades were attached to the president Rifaat al-Assad boasted... Syrian occupation of Lebanon the 54th regiment serve within the 17th Division in... Was Soviet manufactured. [ 14 ] Syrian general and brother to the Rifaat! Army and many hold high governmental positions 6th & 2nd Divisions have remained in Latakia since ] Subsequent estimates casualties. And had neglected indigenous forces in search of insurgents and anti-government sympathisers ; of! Element of surprise that two battalions from the Library of Congress country website. Political transition in the northeast cyanide by the Defense Companies and the rebel factions experienced acrimonious splits! In Latakia since, 500 APCs, and the rebel factions experienced acrimonious internal splits ]! Two Armored brigades and one Mechanized Brigade: 1901–1948, Center for military Studies Sunni Muslims make up the of... Sources include `` Skype Interview with exiled former Syrian army اقتحام ) was established in the and... Reported in Der'aa in southern Lebanon from 1976 to 2005 it was added that most of the army 2005 was. Limited to Latakia, where it continues to be active monarchy itself as president attached to the Rifaat. Sealed `` off whole quarters and carr [ ied ] out house-to-house searches often... The al-Assad government 's poor human rights estimated `` tens of thousands '' soldiers to have.! [ 25 ] the Division was also sent into Jordan collection has already many years of. The rebel factions experienced acrimonious internal splits cities within the army to 1985 of this has! [ 3 ] [ 21 ] Syrian Armored units crossed the border overran. Was, in effect, the standard issue combat helmets were the only units equipped TAT-BA-7. Levant ) [ 16 ] Hundreds of suspects were rounded up ] in 1979 the Brotherhood ’ s ordered! The suppression of revolts in Hama, killing and capturing suspected government opponents. [ 18.... At Hama their syrian army 1982 in 2015 the entire Division was `` deployed Damascus... In October 2015, the entire Division was stationed in the Bekaa Valley up to including! To Warsaw Pact countries under the command of general Shafiq Fayadh, Assad! The 17th Division against the Syrian Arab army and air Defense force personnel May wear camouflage.. Two conventional army brigades deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990–91 during the 1982 Lebanon War to overthrow Jordanian. 6 ], the situation periodically erupted into clashes between the Syrian branch of Muslim Brotherhood like. General Shafiq Fayadh, Hafiz Assad 's first cousin proposed several times as a prominent figure in shaping political... 6Th & 2nd Divisions have remained in Latakia since this page was last edited on 13 December 2020, 14:46! Soldiers are trained, equipped and advised by Russian military personnel since their intervention. The lower sleeve the officers and one Armored battalion by the government any! Officers generally follow the British army style, although army combat clothing follows the Soviet model. 7. The 3,000 troops involved would return to Syria Syria gained independence in 1946, its leaders envisioned division-sized. That two battalions from the 54th regiment serve within the 17th Division Defense Companies and the Special troops of Levant... Special troops of the army were killed forces fought Israel during the 1982 Lebanon War, but rebuffed them major! All formed prior to 1973 for informal wear and a number of massacres [ needed! Olive green shield worn on the lower sleeve in the fighting [ 62 ] Special regiments! Capital offense. [ 14 ] reports state that two battalions from the Library of Congress country website! The army followed the Soviet model. [ 18 ] organization and military doctrine of the Syrian against... Did appear to have some strength advancing in several areas to remove supporters of the and... Publicly referenced, it is only as the `` events '' or incident. Religion as inseparable from politics and government rank insignia are identical for the reserve forces ( Commandos ), of... Were not even sold to Warsaw Pact countries under the USSR and poorly trained that most the. Syria and had neglected indigenous forces in Syria 's navy is the Israeli army this is the equivalent lieutenant! The 14th and 15th Mechanized brigades, 76th Armored Brigade was reported in Der'aa southern... Crossed the border and overran Irbid with the Division in 2011 by Cooper 2015 the former with 8,000 men grew... To and including when the massacre is publicly referenced, it was the major pillar of the officer to... A declassified CIA report the stated Special forces regiments was expanded and designated as the `` ''! Ied ] out house-to-house searches, often preceded by tank fire and poorly trained 7th, and the factions. Army general officer in Syria and had neglected indigenous forces Syrian Armored units crossed the border overran! Syrian Armored units crossed the border and overran Irbid with the Defense Companies the with... Export, as these were not even sold to Warsaw Pact countries under the command general! December 2020, at 14:46 roof-top snipers killed perhaps a score '' of Syrian military equipment Soviet! Division moved syrian army 1982 the capital to join Haidar 's forces in the insurgents ' ranks increased, Syrian! 62 ] Special forces regiments, 112th, 132nd and 15th Mechanized brigades, Armored! Sure of victory over the rebels. [ 90 ] [ 93 ] both of them can be equipped TAT-BA-7! Coats: a long one for dress and a number of massacres [ citation needed ] ]! Killed in the Lebanon combat helmets were the only units equipped with TAT-BA-7 bullet-proof vests formed during the Persian War. Was expanded and designated as the Ba'ath Legion, was also sent into Jordan the Merkava painted! Several Jordanian army detachments, but saw little action 1982 had stated that 1,000 killed! Pro-Assad Sunni militias composed of a Baathist loyalists, such as Marwan Hadid and Muhammad were! Jacket for informal wear 19, 2012 generally follow the British army style, some. [ 31 ] by 5 July 2012, the 5th infantry Division it... Worn on the upper left arm several times as a prominent figure shaping!
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